Minnesota Timberwolves: 2016 Offseason Grades

The Draft

With the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Wolves had an opportunity to add to their already stellar core and build for the future. By selecting Kris Dunn out of Providence, they didn’t waste it.

In fact, taking Dunn at No. 5 nearly gave Thibs a chance to bring in one of his favorite former players in Chicago, swingman Jimmy Butler. The bad blood between Thibodeau and the Bulls front office probably contributed to trade talks falling through, but not giving in to Chicago’s higher demands kept this tantalizing young core together.

As good as the 26-year-old Butler is, that may be a blessing in disguise. LaVine, who would’ve been included in the deal, is a highly underrated spot-up shooter and can do more than just win Slam Dunk Contests. Meanwhile, Dunn puts a little pressure on Ricky Rubio because of how good he might already be.

In his senior season with the Friars, Dunn averaged 16.4 points, 6.2 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game, shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and 37.2 percent from three-point range. He harassed opponents on defense, shot relatively well from deep and made defenders look foolish with his quickness and leaping ability.

At NBA Summer League, the 6’4″ guard lived up to the pre-draft hype and then some in his limited action, averaging 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game, shooting 54.3 percent from the floor and regaling the Las Vegas crowd with stunning move after jaw-dropping play.

He only played in two Summer League games due to a concussion, committed 15 fouls in those two games and shot just 1-for-6 from three-point range, but there’s no question he was the most electric player on the court every time he stepped out there.

The potential is clearly there, and this is a player the Boston Celtics might regret passing on a few years down the road. Dunn is a bit on the older side at age 22, but if he can develop a reliable perimeter jump shot, his defense, athleticism and competitive fire could turn him into a more defensively-oriented Russell Westbrook–Kyle Lowry kind of hybrid.

With Rubio being plopped on the trade block and yanked back off every five minutes, taking Dunn gives the Wolves an alternate option at point guard if Rubio never improves his jumper and the front office decides to move him. That’s not a pressing matter though, since the two should be given the chance to co-exist even with Tyus Jones recently earning Summer League MVP honors.

Rubio is still only 25 years old and is far better than he’s given credit for, but there’s no question about Dunn’s star potential. He needs to take better care of the ball and cut down on his fouls, but that’s true of most rookies.

By biding their time on trading for a star and not giving away Rubio for peanuts, the Wolves nailed this pick. Dunn could be very special, and even though they didn’t get Butler, Minnesota did well to acquire another young gem that fits in better with this core’s timeline for contention.

Here’s hoping Thibs doesn’t bury him on the bench as he often has with rookies, since Dunn has the kind of defensive intensity should earn him minutes under Minnesota’s new head coach.

Grade: A

Next: Adding Aldrich